The invention relates to an automation system in which the functionality of at least two components from a programmable logic controller which can be regulated as required, and/or from a drive controller which regulates rotation speed and/or position, and/or from a motion controller which regulates complex operations is integrated.
Such automation systems are known from the document xe2x80x9cLenze IEC 1131 insidexe2x80x9d, for example. As disclosed, the manner of operation of a typical programmable logic controller is quite usual in industrial automation, and the functionality of a drive controller carrying out operations to regulate position and rotation speed are known to be combined in an integrated system. Pre-configured drive functions are incorporated into the program environment by more or less rigid functional modules. However, the manner in which the final runtime version for operating such a system is actually provided within the context of an engineering system is not reported in any more detail in this document. In addition, this document also contains no suggestion of incorporating highly complex controllers into such a system, such as those which form the basis of numerical controllers.
In addition, Patent Application PCT/DE00/00059 discloses providing a system for a universal motion controller which contains both the engineering system and the runtime system. Nevertheless, nothing is said about the resulting hardware.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to design an automation system of the type mentioned initially such that it can be used for universal purposes, with the necessary hardware being able to be formed by extensive integrated merging of individual components for automation.
This object is achieved by providing an integrated controller and integrated engineering system with integrated programmability and an integrated runtime system having associated source code for user programs and having a common data management unit, the data management unit being able to be integrated in the engineering system and/or in the integrated controller.
On a technical level, the merging of the individual automation components is represented not only by interconnection of individual hardware components and of an integrated programming and control view for the user, but rather there is also continuous integration of the respective runtime systems with all the interfaces and functions. The runtime system of the integrated controller is able to control or to regulate both cyclic requests, as usually executed by a programmable logic controller, and sequential, in some cases extremely complex, operations which are commonly performed by a numerical controller.
The integrated merging of the automation component both at the hardware level and at the software level produces extensive flexibility in the programmability. Since a total user source code is loaded into an integrated engineering system for the integrated controller, this integrated engineering workbench has all the software tools for the programmable logic controller capable of regulation, for the drive controller which regulates rotation speed and/or position, and for the motion controller which regulates complex operations. These include programming, debugger and startup tools, and also the option of changing between different programming languages.
During the engineering phase, it is normal to use a programming language convention which is customary for the individual automation component in order to program the control and/or regulation and/or motion request to be made. The integrated controller provides the option of freely selecting the language convention according to the main emphasis of the application. First, by way of example, the user has the following options available:
1) Structured Text:
Programming language convention for an experienced system and application programmer.
2) Motion Control Chart:
Programming language convention for a solution approach with a machine running orientation.
3) Function-Control Chart:
Programming language convention for a programming view with a data flow orientation.
4) Position-Time Chart:
Programming language convention for a programming view with a position-time chart orientation.
These different programming functions can be called by one another and can be mixed as desired, allowing the user to be provided with an ideal programming view and programming language environment on the basis of a task section.
The homogenous engineering and runtime system of the integrated controller also provides the user with convenient programming for exceptional states and error routines for the whole automation component. In commercially available drive controllers regulating rotation speed and/or position, parameterizable exceptional state reactions are stipulated in a defined scheme if need be. An integrated controller can now be used to stipulate programmable exceptional state reactions, precisely matched to one another, for the whole component in optimum fashion.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that technological objects are integrated for the integrated controller. The technological objects can comprise both rotation-speed, positioning and synchronism axes and cam, transmitter, measurement and cam plate functions. The previously rigid hardware interfaces can be resolved and can be implemented using the options of the technological objects individually, on an application basis, flexibly and in fine steps. In an integrated program philosophy, these objects can be instantiated, freely combined, and addressed in an object oriented programming mode. Particularly the option of being able to address the technological objects in fine steps represents the entire functionality of an automation component much more extensively than if only a limited command set is provided using rigid functional modules.
Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the integrated controller has a single processor which is provided for executing every functionality. Such a single-processor system is technically relatively simple to implement and, in consideration of the high complexity of processors available on the market today, in the meantime is sufficiently powerful for the application. That the integrated controller has an interface for a human/machine interface makes it possible, in order to increase the convenience of the display and input functions of the automation system, to provide the integrated controller with a technical measure in this regard.
Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the functionality for a human/machine interface is additionally stored in the integrated controller. This provides the opportunity to use application-specific human/machine interface devices and/or standard viewers and browsers which are independent of technology and application in order to control and observe a machine. This can include both the storage of display surfaces, graphics and help pages in the device""s data memory and the ability to use all common data interchange formats of standard browsers and viewers to communicate with other devices.
The fact that the integrated controller is equipped with an integrated web server functionality allows the integrated controller""s dataset, including associated program data, to be requested and updated over a network connection in a relatively simple manner. The web server functionality can be used to address and retrieve functions and data of the integrated controller over the Internet or an intranet.
A further preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that respective forms of technology specific to sectors of industry are provided for the functionality of the programmable logic controller and/or drive controller and/or motion controller. This allows the system to be optimally matched to specific industrial technologies, e.g. printing technology, textile technology, packaging technology etc. In this context, the user can profit from the wealth of technological experience from the manufacturer of the technological packages which is implied in the integrated controller.
Incorporating the engineering system in the integrated controller advantageously makes it possible to use identical hardware resources. Another particular advantage of the present invention is that the common data management unit is able to use an initial data version to generate a respectively current data version continuously from documented dataset changes made in a respectively arbitrary manner, particularly from user and/or system data changes. In an automation system which has properties of such complexity and comprises both the functionality of customary programmable logic controllers and of drive controllers which regulate rotation speed and/or position, and additionally those of motion controllers, the addition of the motion controller, in particular, which is today usually provided by a numerical controller, requires an immense dataset. Only clever data management on the basis of the proposed configuration of the invention makes it possible to perpetuate the respectively current data version within a limited memory volume. In this context, precisely such an incremental method also quite decisively simplifies updating by means of Internet or intranet communication.
In such a system, it is additionally possible for previous data versions to be restored by feeding back the documented dataset changes. This also comprises an important characteristic of the present invention, since it allows a service technician, for example, to fall back on previous data versions if irregularities arise in the system which is running.
Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention consists in using a single control action to load a cohesive project data configuration into the integrated controller, said configuration being able to contain at least parameterizing data and/or user program data and/or hardware configurations and/or bus configurations. This option provides the user with a time saving way of transferring associated project data from the engineering system or from a data server, for example, and injecting them into the integrated component, using a single, easily executed control action. Laborious, time consuming and error-prone individual configurations are eliminated. The user thus has, with minimum operating complexity, a configuration tool available which provides him with a considerable time saving, particularly in the case of similar configurations. It is also conceivable for the single control action to be used to execute a macro or a script which initiates a series of automatic configuration and parameterization operations.
An advantageous method for operating an automation system in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the engineering and runtime system is produced by the following steps:
a) the runtime properties of the automation components involved are considered;
b) on the basis of the runtime properties, all the control functionalities are homogeneously integrated into the engineering system and/or into the runtime system of the integrated controller; and
c) the user is provided with programmability for the functionality of the integrated controller. In this context, in a method with a plurality of steps, the level of knowledge from the runtime properties of the integrated controllers is first introduced, and nothing but the overall programmability of the integrated controller is provided in the resulting user interface in a manner which is advantageous for the user.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings and is explained in detail below:
FIG. 1 shows the schematic design and the interconnection of automation components.
FIG. 2 shows the basic design of an integrated controller.
FIG. 3 shows the integrated functionality of an integrated controller on a single processor.
FIG. 4 shows the data management unit of an integrated controller.
FIG. 5 shows the architectural design of the integrated controller.
FIG. 6 shows a system configuration interface in the integrated controller in the form of a screenshot.
FIG. 7 shows a screenshot of a project manager in the integrated controller.
FIG. 8 shows a screenshot of a program editor in the integrated controller in a structured text environment.
FIG. 9 shows a screenshot of a program editor in contact plan programming.
FIG. 10 shows a screenshot of a program editor in the integrated controller in a motion control chart environment.
FIG. 11 shows a screenshot of a cam plate editor in the integrated controller.
FIG. 12 shows a screenshot of a position-time chart editor in the integrated controller.
FIG. 13 shows a screenshot of a program editor in the integrated controller for programming with a data flow orientation (function control chart).
FIG. 14 shows a screenshot of a program tool for starting up the integrated controller.
FIG. 15 shows a screenshot of a program tool for drive design in the integrated controller.